''Aztarac'' is a scrolling

multidirectional shooter Shoot 'em ups (also known as shmups or STGs) are a subgenre of action games. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up; some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain types of character mo ...

with color

vector graphics Vector graphics are a form of computer graphics in which visual images are created directly from geometric shapes defined on a Cartesian plane, such as points, lines, curves and polygons. The associated mechanisms may include vector displ ...

. It was developed by Tim Stryker (1954–1996) and released in arcades by

Centuri Centuri, formerly known as Allied Leisure, was an American arcade game manufacturer. They were based in Hialeah, Florida, and were one of the top six suppliers of coin-operated arcade video game machinery in the United States during the early 1 ...

in 1983. The player commands an intergalactic race of

mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It i ...

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

s whose mode of transport is a

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...

. Its turret is independently controlled, allowing the player to move in one direction while shooting in another. The mission is to guard space outposts from hordes of incoming enemy

ship A ship is a large watercraft, vessel that travels the world's oceans and other Waterway, navigable waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research and fishing. Ships are generally disti ...

s. ''Aztarac'' color vector graphics were impressive at the time of release, and a circular plastic lens over the screen accentuates the visuals. Few machines were produced, though the exact number is unclear. Centuri only developed two vector games; ''Aztarac'' was the second.

Gameplay

Four outposts are located in the center of a scrolling playfield, and the player must protect them from waves of enemy attackers. A flight-style joystick moves the player's tank; a trigger on the joystick shoots; a separate knob rotates the tank's turret independently of movement; and a button activates a scanner which shows where offscreen enemies are.

Reception

According to Tony Temple of ''The Arcade Blogger'', ''Aztarac'' was an obscure release:

Legacy

One of the few ''Aztarac'' machines still in existence was discovered and restored in 2016. It turned out to be the one originally owned by the game's creator, Tim Stryker. Dennis Bartlett of

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

, USA, scored a

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...

142,390 points on Aztarac on February 11, 1984.

References

External links

*
''Aztarac''
at the

.net arcade database
Twin Galaxies high score rankings
1983 video games Arcade video games Arcade-only video games Centuri games Multidirectional shooters Single-player video games Vector arcade video games Video games developed in the United States {{arcade-stub